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First broadcast in 1994, Tent Show Radio is a weekly one-hour radio program showcasing the best live recordings from acclaimed music acts and entertainers who grace the Big Top Chautauqua stage each summer in beautiful Bayfield, WI. In the program's nearly 30 year history it has featured artists like Johnny Cash, B.B King, Brandi Carlile, Willie Nelson, Don McLean, and many more. Hosted by celebrated New York Times best-selling author Michael Perry-who weaves stories and humor throughout each episode - Tent Show Radio features performances from renowned national & regional artists, with regular appearances featuring Big Top’s own unique brand of shows that feature songs and stories performed by its acclaimed house band, The Blue Canvas Orchestra.

 

Tent Show Radio is independently produced by Big Top Chautauqua, a non-profit performing arts organization, with a mission to present performances and events that celebrate history and the environment - along with their annual summer concert series - nestled in the woods on the shores of Lake Superior and the Apostle Islands.

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  2. Tommy Emmanuel & Leo Kotke | Episode 21-32

Tommy Emmanuel & Leo Kotke | Episode 21-32

Jul 31, 2021

This episode of Tent Show Radio this week features two amazing artists, Tommy Emmanuel recorded at the Big Top in 2006 and Leo Kottke recorded in 1998. Tommy Emmanuel is an Australian guitar virtuoso known for his complex fingerstyle technique, energetic performances and the use of percussive effects on the guitar. Although originally a session player in many bands, Emmanuel carved out his own style as a solo artist winning several awards and accolades after his 2006 visit to Big Top Chautauqua. Leo Kottke is an acoustic blues and folk-style guitar player, who visited a couple times over the years. Kottke usually performs with just a spotlight and his music -- and a crowd that just sits in anticipation of what he'll do next. He is known for a fingerpicking style that draws on blues, jazz, and folk music, and for syncopated, polyphonic melodies.